Oven Baked Chicken Thighs with Lemons and Olives

Roasting bone-in chicken pieces definitely adds to the flavor of this easy-to-prepare sheet-pan chicken meal. Surprisingly, even the olives seem to taste better cooked with their pits, although if I am serving this for a party, I always use unpitted olives, just to be safe.

Always wanting to make good use of my appliances, I steamed a simple rice and orzo pilaf from Trader Joe's and some asparagus. This meal is perfect for “fast food”: very little prep, fast cooking, and amazingly delicious.

INGREDIENTS

4 - whole chicken legs, thigh, and leg separated

1 - tablespoon smoked paprika  (I used mild, but use the spicy one if you prefer)

½ - teaspoon mixed Italian seasoning

½ - red onion, cut in ¼” thick slices

2 - small lemons, sliced (the mild flavor of Meyer lemons works well)

½ - cup Castelvetrano or Manzanilla olives

PREPARATION

Heat the oven in the Convection or Convection Roast Mode to 400 degrees.

Start by patting the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Then, place them in a large shallow bowl and season with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Sprinkle the smoked paprika and Italian seasoning over the chicken. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and gently toss to ensure all the chicken pieces are evenly coated.

Add the onion and lemon, then spread them onto a rimmed baking sheet. Cook for 20 minutes, then fold in the olives for the final 10 minutes.